ALUMNI HALL BOUT DRAWS ESPN

Michael Hirsley, Tribune Staff WriterCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Terry McGroom was remarkably calm in training and sparring at the Windy City Gym this week, considering that his Friday night showdown against veteran James Toney gives him the opportunity to become a big blip on the radar screen of cruiserweight title contenders.

Regardless of how the McGroom-Toney main event plays out, it will give Chicago boxing and DePaul University's Alumni Hall a welcome boost on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights."

Maybe Chicagoan McGroom's tranquility simply shows the maturity of a 33-year-old who has been a pro boxer for seven years.

But with a career 16 victories against one loss and two draws, compared with Toney's 58-4-2 record, McGroom is perceived as the untested underdog.

"My offense is my defense," McGroom said. "I do what I do off my defense."

McGroom schedules training and brief sleep around his midnight-to-8 a.m. shift working with disabled residents of a group home.

Although he has not watched tapes of Toney, he sparred against fellow Chicagoan Vinson Durham, who lost 10-round decisions to Toney in 1994 and to McGroom a year ago.

McGroom says he's aware that Toney's style is similar to his.

"He's a great tactical fighter who tries to lure you into making a mistake and then makes you pay for it," McGroom said. "That's just what I have to do to him."

McGroom actually weighed 196, but was given a 1-pound allowance for his unusual attire of long winter underwear. He also had a small adhesive bandage above his left eye, covering what licensing physician Dr. Glenn Bynum deemed an inconsequential scratch from training.

Teddy Atlas and Bob Papa will be the ESPN2 ringside commentators. Both favor Toney, who has looked trim and tough in two recent fights on the network, but acknowledge a considerable upside for McGroom.

"He could become a top contender if he beats Toney," Atlas said. "McGroom is fighting on national TV, against a former two-time champion who has credibility. A win over Toney, or even a close fight, would give McGroom credibility."

Papa, noting that the bout is on a college campus, dubbed Toney "the Professor."

"McGroom is facing the Professor one-on-one, and he can get his degree if he passes the test," Papa said. "If McGroom beats Toney it would be huge."

Papa called Toney "one of the most skilled guys on our air." Atlas, who trained heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Michael Moorer and will train featherweight Junior Jones for his March 11 challenge to champion Prince Naseem Hamed, said Tony is "as solid a technical fighter as there is."

The storied 5,300-seat arena opened in 1956. Long the DePaul Blue Demons' basketball home--the team had a 42-game unbeaten streak from 1977 to 1980--Alumni Hall is scheduled for the wrecking ball in April, to make way for a student life center.

Other events at Alumni Hall have included high school all-star games, the Catholic League basketball playoffs, men's NIT and women's NCAA tournament games, volleyball matches featuring gold-medal U.S. men's and women's teams; and boxing shows ranging from local cards to a 1986 Mike Tyson-James "Quick" Tillis exhibition bout.

Chicago promoter Dominic Pesoli picked Alumni Hall for Friday's event. When he and partner George Latsis began as fight promoters, Pesoli said, "we wanted to keep boxing in Chicago, at places like Park West and Alumni Hall."

He anticipates McGroom-Toney could draw 2,000 to 3,000 fans, "so Alumni Hall is the only city facility that would accommodate that number."

Also, Pesoli said, the larger capacity includes more $10 general admission seats, which he hopes "will attract the nearby students."